Institute for Systems Science

Under the Directorship of Prof Kevin Duffy, the Institute of Systems Science (iSS) was created from an existing Centre of Excellence to accomplish the following:

Conduct high calibre research into real-world questions using multi­disciplinary computational and mathematical systems methods.

Develop simulation and mathematical methods to help understand these questions.

Effect a technology transfer of the methods and perspectives used to a broad group of South Africans .People at all levels of education from high school to PhD level are targeted with appropriate courses.

ISS has already been structured to accomplish these aims. Over the past seven years a cross-disciplinary research group has been for­mulated and put into practice. This effort was rewarded by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) with a strong Research Niche Area (RNA) in their Institutional Research Development Program. The title of this RNA within iSS is Systems Research.

ISS comprises a number of staff members across different departments and faculties at DUT, and staff from other universities both nationally and internationally. These staff members are involved because of their common research synergies. The Institute, through its research members, has developed methodologies for understanding a variety of complex questions. All these different computational approaches are sophisticated modern technologies for understanding complex systems. The aim of iSS is to expand on this approach by finding applications for important issues in a developing South Africa.

Honorary Professor

Professor Wayne Getz has accepted an honorary fellowship in the ISS. He is a senior bio-mathematician at the University of California and is a world renown researcher in his field of expertise, with considerable supervision experience and publications.